As a part of our research on trends for real estate in Osaka City, we present some statistics for the population of Osaka City, including some notes on the population of foreigners living in Osaka City.
Population of Osaka City
Recent data indicates Osaka City’s population to be 2,814,185 (as of 2026). By population, Osaka is the second largest city in Japan, second only to Tokyo.
What is the Population of Osaka City by Year?
Here is a breakdown of the Osaka City population by year:
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Osaka City Population vs Other Cities in Japan
For a comparison with other cities in Japan, the population of the city of Tokyo is 14,192,184 (2024), Nagoya city population is 2,308,544 (2026), and the population of Sapporo is 1,968,265 (2024).
Osaka Population Estimates (beyond Osaka City)
What we call Osaka is a city, a “metro,” and a prefecture. When you’re considering the population of “Osaka,” you want to be certain which definition you are using.
Population of Osaka:
— Osaka City: 2,814,185 (2026)
— Osaka Prefecture: 8,764,462 (2026)
— Osaka Metropolitan Area: 19.3 million (2025)
“Osaka City” is defined by the 24 central wards in Osaka City, with Chuo-ku and Kita-ku at the center. “Osaka Prefecture” is a major regional division (one of 47 prefectures in Japan), with the third highest population for a prefecture in Japan, and is bordered by Hyōgo, Kyoto, Nara, and Wakayama prefectures. The “Osaka Metropolitan Area” – called Keihanshin – includes the populations of the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe.
What is the “Daytime” Population of Osaka City?
There is an interesting distinctions in the local population of Osaka City called the “Daytime Population” of Osaka, which accounts for inflow from areas outside of the city (during the day) for work, school, shopping, etc.
The City of Osaka posts statistics for the daytime population of Osaka as 3,534,521 (2020). Compared to the resident population of Osaka 2,752,412 (2020), there is an increase of almost 30% more people during daylight hours each day. If you have ever been to Osaka Station (in Kita/Umeda) on a business day, you can feel this massive influx of visitors.
Which Wards in Osaka Have the Highest Population?
The biggest wards (or “ku”) in Osaka City by population* are:
— Yodogawa-ku, Osaka population is 190,694
— Hirano-ku, Osaka population is 184,505
— Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka population is 177,780
— Joto-ku, Osaka population is 169,102
— Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka population is 153,195
The population* of some other popular wards (for comparison):
— Chuo-ku, Osaka, population is 119,203
— Kita-ku, Osaka, population is 150,523
— Nishi-ku, Osaka, population is 115,706
— Tennoji-ku, Osaka, population is 89,012
— Naniwa-ku, Osaka, population is 85,152
* 2026 data
See our additional reporting for more detail on population trends for Osaka City wards.
How Many Foreigners are Living in Osaka?
We provide details on the number of non-Japanese foreigners living in Osaka City in a separate report, but we can provide a brief overview here:
As of 2025, there were approximately 211,880 foreigners living in Osaka, which is approximately 7.6% of the total population of Osaka City.
Over the last 10 years, residents of Osaka from foreign countries have been generally increasing; the current population of foreign residents in Osaka is up 46% from just 116,282 foreign residents in 2013. There was a decrease in the total number of people from other countries living in Osaka during the Covid period, but post-pandemic, Osaka has the highest number of foreign residents ever recorded.
The main non-native populations living in Osaka are from China, Korea, and Vietnam. Other countries in the top 10 foreign populations in Osaka include Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, America, and Thailand.
Is the Population of Osaka City Increasing?
Yes, Osaka City’s population is growing, and as of 2026 hit an all-time high of 2,814,185.
Osaka Population Trends
It is part of Japan’s current history that the population is declining. Osaka City has resisted that trend, with the population of Osaka City increasing, even as Japan’s population is below replacement rate. Osaka City had increasing population up to 2020, peaking (for that time) at 2,752,412 residents, and declined in 2021 (likely due to Covid), before continuing to grow again, year over year.
Osaka Real Estate
The population of Osaka City is increasing, and the real estate market in Osaka is very strong (prices are generally increasing, on strong demand). In our role as Osaka real estate consultants, we make referrals for real estate services in Osaka. We can help you find an apartment in Osaka (including a Osaka short-term furnished apartments), to buy a house in Osaka, and other real estate matters.
For help with real estate, contact us and we can make personalized introductions to real estate agents in Osaka that speak English.
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For More Information:
— Percentages of Foreign Nationals Living in Osaka, Japan
— International Schools in Osaka
See Also:
— Population of Sapporo, Japan
— Population of Nagoya, Japan
— Population of Kobe, Japan